Your Legacy
by GreatSnapper
Summary: Sometimes the hardest part of finding an answer is asking the question in the first place. Especially when asking means talking to someone that always seems to have a bit too much fun at your expense. Misaki/Mikoto.


_Honestly, I don't know what I was expecting._

Misaka Mikoto, esteemed Level 5 electromaster of Tokiwadai Middle School, stood before a large pair of oak doors, a grimace on her face. The doors stood nearly twice her height, large brass knockers attached to the painstakingly carved wood. Near the top, the carvings depicted a gleaming angel, wrapped in extravagant robes, smiling benevolently down upon the human masses huddled near the base of the door frame, looking up in awe. In between, doves flitted across a verdant landscape of fruit-bearing trees and rolling hills, the rays of the sun shining brilliantly upon it all.

It made Mikoto want to vomit.

It was just too extravagant, too over-the-top and ridiculous. It was hard to imagine anyone in their right mind would have commissioned something so ostentatious in the first place, let alone decide to use it. Then again, Mikoto had a little bit of experience with eccentric personalities. It really shouldn't have surprised her, but seeing such a ridiculous piece of work in the middle of the Tokiwadai dorms was not something she had been expecting. It was enough to throw her off, and her already shaky resolve wavered.

Mikoto bit her lip and gripped the brass knocker, the lion head crafted into the base leering up at her. It didn't fit the scene carved into the door at all, and for some reason that frustrated her. It was as though whoever had the doors put in simply saw something that looked fancy and decided to tack it on at the last second.

"Gah, this is stupid!" she shouted, dropping the knocker and spinning away from the door in a huff. Several passing students cast her curious glances, but none of them said anything. Questioning Misaka-sama would be unthinkable among the rank and file of Tokiwadai.

Mikoto blushed when she realized her little outburst had been noticed, and she quickly turned back towards the door, her cheeks pink. She stared at her shoes, trying to force herself to knock.

_This is so stupid! _She took a few deep breaths to steady her pounding heart. _Why am I so nervous? It's just one little question, and she probably won't even give me a straight answer anyway._

Of course, that was the whole problem. Everything she _thought _she knew about the girl that resided behind those outrageous doors was a lie, or at the very least incredibly misleading. She had thought she understood her, had known where they stood in relation to one another. But that had just been a part of the elaborate facade that the older girl had pulled over everyone's eyes, and Mikoto herself hadn't even bothered to question it.

Ever since the curtain had been pulled back, there had been a question that plagued Mikoto's thoughts, that burned at the back of her mind every night as she tried to fall asleep. She had tried to ignore it, but the harder she tried the more persistently it hounded her. When it got to the point that it was keeping her up at night, she decided it was time to do something about it.

The entire walk through the School Garden she had been second guessing herself. More and more this seemed like a bad idea, but she had persevered. It wasn't until she had been presented with the monstrosity before her that her conviction had finally broken.

Her hand hovered with a slight quiver inches from the hard, polished wood of the door. All she had to do was knock. It was simple. Just knock, rap-tap-tap, and then she would ask her question and leave. Nothing to it. Really. Nothing at all.

"Forget it!" Mikoto cried, squeezing her eyes shut and stomping on the floor like a petulant child. "This was a stupid idea anyway."

"Ah? Well if it isn't Misaka-san!"

Mikoto blanched and all color left her face at the sound of the familiar, too-sweet voice. "S-Shokuhou," she said, forcing a smile that came out as more of a grimace, "what a surprise, seeing you here."

The blonde esper giggled. "Well, this _is _my room after all; it's not too unusual for me to come by now and again." She tilted her head, a playful grin on her face. "The real question is, what are _you _doing here, Misaka-san? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you came looking for me. What might be the occasion?"

Mikoto's face, which had just begun to regain some of its color, flushed pink. "Don't be ridiculous!" she said, practically shouting. Misaki's grin only grew wider, and Mikoto felt her chest constrict in embarrassment. "Why would I want to talk to you anyway?"

"How should I know?" Misaki shrugged. "It's not like I can read your mind."

Mikoto clenched her teeth. "Very funny."

"Isn't it? Well, on the off chance there was some reason you were standing in front of my door, would you care to come inside? I'd hate to make a scene here in the hallway." Misaki gestured around them, and Mikoto noticed that they were drawing curious stares from the dormitory's other occupants.

She took a few deep breaths, attempting to calm herself. _I did come here to ask her something. _She took a moment to regain her composure. "Fine," she said at last, and Misaki smiled.

"Excellent!" She clapped, before opening the heavy door with surprising ease and stepping inside. Mikoto stopped just short of the threshold, her reluctance returning full force. If she crossed that barrier, she wouldn't have an easy escape route anymore. Not that she was scared or anything. Not at all. She would just have rather not been locked in a room alone with Shokuhou Misaki. The fact that the older girl's power didn't work on her was little comfort.

Misaki noticed her hesitation and rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Misaka-san. There's really nothing to be afraid of. I promise not to bite."

Mikoto scoffed. "As if I would be scared of someone like you. I was just thinking."

"If you say so." Misaki shrugged. "Leave your shoes by the door, if you please. Who knows what a savage beast like you might have been dragging your feet through?"

Biting back a retort, Mikoto followed her fellow level five inside, kicking her shoes off and closing the door. She took a moment to observe her surrounding, and couldn't help but stare in awe. The room was at least ten times larger than the one she shared with Kuroko. The domed ceiling towered above them, scenes similar to that on the door intricately painted upon it. Chandeliers of polished crystal hung down, and giant windows let in soft afternoon light that cast brilliant shadows across the polished marble floor.

A giant table sat in the center of the room, wrought of a dark, sturdy looking wood. Tall-backed chairs lined the sides, and a pristine cloth of pale yellow covered the surface. Several candelabras that looked to be made of silver adorned the table as well, and Mikoto couldn't help but feel she'd stepped into an old Victorian novel.

Other pieces of furniture in the same grandiose style littered the room, including a massive bed with silk curtains, and what looked like a full den complete with leather chairs and a fireplace at the opposite end of the room. Mikoto didn't know whether to be impressed or disgusted with the display.

"It's rude to stare, Misaka-san, though I imagine someone like you doesn't see such finery very often." A teasing smile played across Misaki's features as she took a seat at a small table near one of the massive windows.

It wasn't often that Mikoto was accused of being a pauper. Nearly all the girls that attended Tokiwadai came from wealth, and she was no exception. That said, Mikoto had to admit that Misaki wasn't entirely wrong. Even she hadn't seen rooms as extravagantly decorated as this one very often.

"Oh shut up," she muttered, stalking across the floor and plopping down in the seat opposite Misaki. "How did you get this room anyway? I can't believe it was originally intended as a dorm room."

"That's true. It used to be Tokiwadai's ballroom. The school used to throw more big events, and I think they used to hold the graduation ceremony in here. Of course, when I enrolled they decided that it just wouldn't do to place me with the common students, and gave it to me to use as my room."

"Sure, they "gave" it to you, did they?" Mikoto eyed Misaki suspiciously. "Are you sure you didn't need to _convince _them to give you such a gracious gift?"

Misaki simply smiled. "Who knows? I suppose anything would be possible with my ability, wouldn't it?"

Before Mikoto could reply, there was a knock at the massive doors, and a girl with curly hair that Mikoto recognized as a member of Misaki's clique pushed the door open, carrying a tray with tea and a plate of cookies.

"Queen-sama, Misaka-sama, I brought you some tea" She bowed slightly and set the tray upon the table. Mikoto couldn't help but wonder when her host had had the time to ask for the snacks.

Misaki inclined her head slightly. "Thank you, that will be all."

"Of course, Queen-sama." She turned to Mikoto and gave another bow. "It was good to see you again, Misaka-sama. Good day."

Mikoto watched her leave, a vaguely unsettled feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. It always disturbed her to see the other Level 5 use her ability like that. There was no denying it had been useful during their attempts to corner Kihara Gensei. That was different though. Then, the alternatives were far from appealing, and they hadn't had time to make many moral considerations. But to see her use it so casually on her classmates made Mikoto almost sick to her stomach.

"I'll never understand how you can do that," she said, eyeing her tea suspiciously before sighing and taking a sip. It was good. "Don't you get tired of being surrounded by a bunch of fakes all the time?"

Misaki sipped her tea and toyed with a cookie before answering. "Not really." Her smile was fixed. "Friendship can be such a troublesome thing. People always think they understand you, but they never really do, and then they're disappointed when they find out how wrong they were. They form all these expectations around your relationship. It's really much easier this way. I can get what I need from them, and they don't expect anything from me in return. Really, it's a wonderful arrangement."

Mikoto's hands balled into fists as the other girl spoke. Kuroko had forgotten about her. Uiharu-san and Saten-san had forgotten her. Even the phantom of the pain she had felt at the lack of recognition in her friends' eyes was enough to make her short of breath. But Misaki, she didn't seem to think anything at all of something that Mikoto held so dear. Once again, Mikoto questioned whether coming here was the right thing to do.

She took a deep breath, letting go of the anger. That wasn't why she was here. "Honestly." She took a small bite of one of the cookies to help calm herself. "I don't think I'll ever be able to understand how you think."

Misaki giggled lightly. "Of course not. It would be unfair of me to expect a brute like you to understand the elegance and subtlety of my mind."

Mikoto snorted. "Oh please. Your ability may be less flashy than mine, but you use it with all the subtlety of a battering ram. Any hint of a problem and your groping for that remote of yours. Why do you even use that thing anyway? It makes you look silly."

"How rude!" Misaki huffed, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I invite you into my room and you have the audacity to insult me? I should kick you out right now, Misaka Mikoto. And I'll have you know I've been told on more than one occasion that the remote makes me look cool!"

"Oh, really?" A small smile of her own crept onto Mikoto's face. "I didn't know the great Mental Out was so concerned with looking cool. That's more my department, don't you think?"

Misaki grumbled something under her breath before stuffing a cookie in her mouth and crossing her arms over her chest. Mikoto sat back in her chair, sipping her tea in the silence and enjoying her victory, however small.

Distantly, Mikoto could hear the ticking of a clock. She turned, searching for the source. Against the wall by the door she spotted a large grandfather clock, its pendulum swinging back and forth.

"My father had one of those in his office at home," she said, breaking the growing silence. "I used to sit on the floor while he worked and stare at the pendulum for hours."

Mikoto wasn't sure what had possessed her to offer up that particular piece of history. She hadn't thought about that clock in years, but now she could remember it perfectly. The carefully carved wood, the slightly balled feet that curled into hypnotic spirals, the chip out of one of the corner that she had made once when she'd been playing ninja with her father's letter opener, and that he had pretended for years not to notice.

Misaki glanced curiously at her out of the corner of her eye, but said nothing.

"I remember staring at it, almost hypnotized. He had a fireplace there too, and in the winter we would have a fire running all day. I would sit and listen to the snap and crackle of the fire while the clock kept its steady rhythm." Mikoto's face had taken on a far-off look, and as Misaki watched, a wistful smile spread over the electromaster's features. "Honestly, I think I just wanted to hang around my dad more, since he was always busy when he was home."

Another beat of silence, and Misaki shifted in her seat. "That's all very interesting, Misaka-san, but why are you telling me?"

"I'm not sure." Mikoto shrugged, tearing her gaze away from the clock. "It just sort of came back to me."

Misaki's expression was unreadable, and Mikoto began to squirm slightly under the golden stare of the psychic. She knew there was no way for the other girl to get through the electro-barrier that protected her mind, but her starry eyes were still unsettling.

"Well, as much as I appreciate you sharing such a touching story with me, Misaka-san, I can't help but be curious as to what brought you here in the first place."

Mikoto's discomfort grew, and her cheeks turned a rosy hue. "Ah... yeah, that. I, uh, I had a question for you."

"Oh?" Misaki tilted her head, her gloved finger resting on her chin. "What might that be?"

Mikoto chewed on her lower lip, looking out the window while she attempted to think of the best way to phrase her question. It had been running through her head for days, weeks even, but now that she was here, she was having a hard time giving it voice. Her eyes flitted back to the expectant face of the blonde psychic, and her stomach twisted. Should she just make up a different question? No, that would be cowardly, and Mikoto wasn't in the business of running away. Still though, why did this have to be so difficult?

"Well?"

"...Why did you decide to come to Tokiwadai?"

Misaki blinked. "What a curious question. I have my reasons, of course, but what makes you think I would share them with you? In any case, what makes you think it's any business of yours in the first place?" Her voice wasn't harsh, simply curious, and Mikoto spotted the beginnings of a knowing smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Those shining golden eyes smiled across the table at her, and Mikoto squirmed uncomfortably. She hadn't exactly been thinking of any of that as the question had played over and over again in her mind. In retrospect, she really should have. But more than just feeling uncomfortable, she was beginning to get angry. Why did the other girl have to play these games every time they spoke? Why would she never give her a single straight answer?

"Don't give me that!" Mikoto growled, slamming her fist on the table as her frustration grew. "Why do you always have to be so difficult? Just answer the question already!"

"Oh my!" Misaki exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Such ferocity! What's gotten into you, Misaka-san?"

Her voice was teasing, that same tone she always used when talking to Mikoto, and it was starting to drive the younger girl up the wall.

"Stop doing that."

Misaki's playful smile grew. "Doing what, Misaka-san?"

"That!" Mikoto cried, pointing at the psychic's smug little smile. "That… that… whatever it is you always do! Every single time I talk to you, you do this, playing around and refusing to tell me anything. I'm so sick of it! I'm tired of you messing with me and I'm tired of falling for this crap every time! Just answer me!"

The silence hung heavy in the air between them, the only sound the ticking of the clock and Mikoto's heavy breathing. Brown eyes locked with gold, and Mikoto felt heat growing in her cheeks. Their eyes remained locked for a moment longer before the clock tolled and Mikoto blinked, the spell broken. She realized with a start that she had stood at some point during her outburst, knocking her chair over.

"…sorry," she muttered, picking up the chair and taking a seat. She could feel Misaki's eyes on her, and kept her own glued firmly on her teacup.

The sound of gentle laughter finally broke the silence, and Mikoto looked up to see Misaki giggling into her hand. The sound was light and musical, not at all like the mocking laughter she had come to associate with the older girl.

"H-hey," Her embarrassment returned full force, "what… what's so funny?"

Misaki waved her off, continuing to laugh for a few moments before catching her breath. "Oh, nothing at all." She leaned forward and rested her chin in her palm. "I was just thinking that maybe that wasn't the real question you wanted to ask me, was it, Misaka-san?"

Mikoto's eyes flicked about and she squirmed nervously in her chair. "W-What are you talking about? Of course it was! What else would I have to ask someone like you?"

"Hmm, someone like me?" Misaki's tone was playful as she kept her eyes on Mikoto's steadily reddening face. "I may not be able to get inside your head, but I think I can still manage a guess." Her grin widened and Mikoto had the distinct impression of being a mouse caught in the gaze of a hungry cat. "You wanted to ask if the reason I decided to attend Tokiwadai was because I knew you would be here, isn't that right, Misaka-san?"

A strange choking noise escaped Mikoto's throat as her eyes widened in surprise. "W-what are you talking about?!" Her chair screeched against the marble floor as she pushed herself away from the table. "A-as if I would ask something so stupid! That's just crazy!"

Misaki watched with an amused gleam in her eyes as Mikoto worked herself into a frenzy of denials. "Well, I suppose I can't know for certain. After all, I can't read your mind, can I? Your electro-barrier is such a pesky thing. But on the off chance you _were _to ask me a question like that, aren't you at least a little curious as to what my answer would be?"

The ranting electromaster froze, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. The sight was enough to make Misaki giggle, and Mikoto's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why would I be?" she muttered. "You'd never give me a straight answer anyway."

Misaki sighed, tucking a lock of golden hair behind her ear. "Did I tell you that I never once read Dolly's mind?"

"Eh?" Mikoto blinked in confusion before she realized what it was Misaki had said. This was a person who used her power as a matter of convenience, who didn't seem to care one way or another about toying with people's minds. She had certainly never seemed to have any compunction about invading another person's privacy. "Why not?"

"I'm not even really sure myself." Misaki shrugged. "At first, I think it was because she was just so pathetic looking. I didn't think there was anything to be gained by reading the mind of some broken little girl that I was forced to be friends with. After a while though, I guess I just decided I didn't need to. It wasn't like I couldn't have just learned whatever I wanted to know from her handlers, and it was sort of nice not to always know what someone was thinking. In the end, I guess I just didn't want to spoil our friendship by doing that to her." A small, sad smile spread across Misaki's face. It was an expression Mikoto had never seen on the psychic's face. "She had certainly already put up with enough. The last thing she needed was me poking around in her head."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that," Mikoto said, sounding genuinely surprised.

"No, I suppose it doesn't really sound like something I would say, does it?" Misaki's smile dropped a bit. "Still, it's true. I didn't want to make her life any harder than it already was, and she seemed so desperate for a friend. I guess I just got swept along."

Mikoto shifted in her seat. This wasn't really what she had bargained for when she came here. As aggravating as she found her fellow Level 5, she had to admit that there was a part of her that admired the cool confidence she always exuded. It was so easy to forget about the things she kept hidden behind that facade of control, and she wasn't sure she wanted to see Misaki vulnerable again.

"You still haven't answered my question," she said softly, finally meeting Misaki's eyes again.

"So persistent." Misaki smiled, standing and stretching her arms above her head. "I guess I've been cornered. No choice now but to answer you, eh?"

Mikoto got the distinct impression she was being made fun of.

"Dolly was the first friend I ever made, and she was made from you, right?" Misaki circled around the table, tracing the edge with a gloved finger. "It's only natural that I'd be a little curious, don't you think?"

The heat was returning to Mikoto's face, and she straightened in her seat, trying to push back the nervous feeling that was growing in her stomach. "So… so then you…?"

Misaki leaned down until their faces were mere inches apart. Mikoto stared into the starry eyes of her rival, entranced. "You're not really all that much like Dolly. You're loud and brash, and more than a little reckless. But… I can't say I was disappointed, Misaka Mikoto-chan."

The inches between them disappeared, and suddenly Mikoto registered the sensation of a pair of soft lips against her own. It took her a moment to realize what was happening, and when she did every nerve in her body seemed to vibrate with adrenaline. But she was paralyzed, unable to move. Finally, Misaki pulled away with a playful smile, tracing her lips with her fingers. Mikoto pushed back so quickly she fell out of her chair.

"W-w-what was that for?!"

Misaki giggled, looking down at the furiously blushing electromaster. "You said you wanted me to answer your question, didn't you?"

Mikoto gaped up at Misaki, staring at the psychic in a combination of shock and confusion. Gingerly, she touched her fingers to her lips. She could still feel the gentle touch of the kiss lingering. After a moment her chin fell to her chest and she mumbled something incomprehensible.

"Hmm?" Misaki asked, leaning forward. "What was that, Misaka-san?"

"That was my…first kiss."

"Come on now, speak up."Her voice took on a lecturing tone. "Honestly, how do you expect anyone to understand you if all you do is mumble?"

"I said that was my first kiss!" Mikoto shouted, gritting her teeth. "Y-you! What were you thinking?! You can't just… just… you can't do that. I mean—!"

"Was it really so bad?"

The sincerity of the question caught Mikoto off guard, and she blinked, seeing for a moment the lonely, isolated girl that hid behind the playful teasing and careful manipulation. Her anger drained from her body, leaving her feeling suddenly weak, and more than a little confused.

"That's… I mean, no, I guess not," she mumbled, unable to meet Misaki's eyes. "Just… I was surprised, that's all."

"Sorry about that, Mikoto-chan." Misaki's smile returned as she helped a still blushing Mikoto to her feet. "I'll make sure I ask nicely next time."

"T-that's not what I—!" Mikoto sputtered, before noticing the sly grin spreading across Misaki's features, the vulnerable girl she had glimpsed a moment before hidden once more. She sighed, pressing her hand to her forehead. "You're impossible."

"I hope so." Misaki giggled. "I'd certainly hate to think you had me all figured out. Where's the fun in that?"

"You just like making me squirm, don't you?" Mikoto asked, but she was grinning too.

"Of course!"

"I guess I can live with that." Most of the earlier tension she had been feeling was gone, and she felt more at ease than she had in weeks. Despite the strange turn things had taken, she felt the weight that she had been carrying ever since the Daihaseisai lift from her chest. "Well, I suppose you did answer my question, which was more than I was expecting. So, thanks, I guess."

"Don't expect it to be a regular thing," Misaki said, a teasing look in her eyes. "I'm not overly fond of giving straightforward answers. It's so much less interesting than keeping people guessing all the time."

Mikoto rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'll bet." Another idea prickled at her, and she hesitated for a moment, letting the silence grow. It took her only a moment to shake herself out of it. The last time she'd let herself waver, it had taken her weeks to gather the necessary courage to act.

"S-so," she started, cursing internally for the falter in her voice. "I was going to go get some dinner, you want to come?"

Misaki's eyes sparkled with barely contained mirth. "Oh? Are you asking me out on a date, Mikoto-chan?"

"N-no!" Mikoto stammered. "I just thought, you're probably hungry, and maybe you'd want some company or something so I—"

"I'd love to."

Mikoto stopped short. "You would?"

"Of course." The blonde esper snatched up Mikoto's hand, before pulling her towards the door. "I know a lovely little place in the Garden. It's nothing too fancy, so I'm sure they'll be willing to let someone as uncouth as yourself in."

"Gah! Fine, lead the way." Mikoto fell into stride next to Misaki. The girl really knew how to press her buttons. She was rude, manipulative, obnoxious, and to top it all off, one of the hardest people to talk to she had ever met. Interacting with her was an exercise in frustration, but despite herself, Mikoto found herself enjoying the older girl's company.

Misaki's hand curled gently around hers, and Mikoto couldn't help but smile.

_I suppose that could have gone worse._

XXXXXXXX

A/N: This is a little different from the kind of thing I usually write, but it was rather fun. Fluff and romance aren't my typical style, but I like this pairing, and in terms of the potential reason for it to exist, this doesn't seem that unreasonable. This idea had been floating around my head for a while before I wrote it. I think whatever Misaki's interest in Mikoto is, Dolly probably has something to do with it. And Misaki is always a blast to write.

Thanks so much for reading, and as always, please tell me what you think!


End file.
